The Killin' Fields (Alexa's Travels Book 2) (9 page)

That’s How It’s Done

1

“There are seventy other people here. How is that possible?” Paul asked. He assumed they would be breaking Alexa out as soon as everyone else settled down and asleep. The talk was only to kill time before rescuing their leader.

The temperature had dropped as night fell, and the other travelers had taken to their shelters, but many of them still lingered in doorways and flaps to stare at Alexa and her fighters.

Edward frowned. “That last group to come in only had old mule drivers on the wagons. The wagons are filled with boxes.”

“Someone’s supply train,” Mark muttered.

“We can use that,” Jacob observed.

“Yes, but what about Alexa?” Paul demanded. “We can’t leave her in there.”

“We’ll do what she told us to.”

Paul scowled at David. “I won’t leave her there!”

“No need to leave me at all, pets,” Alexa said as she joined them. “We’re no longer the priority.”

Edward quickly got her a fresh cup of coffee. “Were they smart enough to make a deal?”

“Not an honest one. Merrik hopes to deliver me along with the supplies. After we do his job for him of course.”

“Are those wagons going to a bunker?” Daniel asked.

“I believe so, but it won’t arrive there,” Alexa vowed.

Above them, the sky had faded to black and the breeze settled to nothing, allowing snores and lowly spoken conversations to carry.

The fifty soldiers around them wore outdated uniforms even for the apocalypse and Alexa doubted many of their sidearms would fire. The government was finally running out of both men and their weapons. Even the canteens were decades old, and Alexa noted the same was true of the more basic gear, like bedrolls and rations. Both of those were mismatched and varied, giving the soldiers a ramshackle appearance that Merrik complemented perfectly in his black jacket over Army green as he did a fast sweep from the doorway. He didn’t look at Alexa or her men, but it was obvious that he had released her against his will.

By midnight, the station was settled and mostly asleep. The snores rolled into the quiet, occasionally breaking the silence, and those still awake were able to hear every nerve-rattling sound of the black night. It let them wonder what might be lurking, waiting for them to get even a foot out of safety. Giants and zombies might be the least of their worries.

All of Alexa’s group was awake. Even Paul stayed alert, though he couldn’t stop yawning. Sitting around their small fire, the fighters swept their surroundings and each other often. They’d eaten and smoked, chatted a little among themselves, and studied the other people. Curiously in some cases, with admiration of others, but with scorn with most. It was clear that many of their fellow travelers were weak. On their own, they wouldn’t survive very long.

The slavers were still awake, observing Alexa and her men, though their stock had long since been sent to bed like good boys. The slaves had gone almost eagerly, leaving Alexa’s men to share frowns. They couldn’t wrap their minds around being slaves, but even worse would be to like it.

The gunfighters were also still up, sitting in good positions around their ward as he snored loudly inside his tent. The cart and horses they shared were stashed behind the tent and the four nags appeared glad to be unharnessed. These fighting men also studied the slaves with confusion, not able to accept that type of surrender either, but their hard gazes returned repeatedly to Alexa and her guns. They were obviously trying to figure out who she was. The soldiers letting her go didn’t fit with the legends, but everything else did. Someone like her got a reputation quickly and it was harder to shake when face-to-face. He figured one of the gunfighters would attempt to confirm it at some point, but he doubted they would leave their current job to challenge her for the rewards. They looked smart enough to know better.

The only other people up and about were the two roaming patrols Zale had put in place before disappearing into the warehouse with one of his whores. Alexa was glad the woman had been willing. She didn’t plan to interfere with the soldiers until they interfered with her, but that would force it.

Alexa watched the second woman curl up in a blanket on the ramp and her brows drew together. That one wasn’t willing, but there was little Alexa would do right now without strong cause.

“Volunteer sleep schedule; pick it,” Alexa told them. She liked letting them set their own duties.

Edward opened his mouth to volunteer, but was beaten by Daniel.

“I’ll stay up.”

“As you would,” Alexa approved.

Everyone else headed into the tent, slightly disappointed that Daniel would get to enjoy Alexa’s last waking moments of the day. As they got settled, the men were quiet, hoping to listen as they fell out.

Alexa lit a rolled smoke and allowed Daniel to refill her coffee cup. The fire crackled softly, the wind howling gently, and Alexa yawned. “They’ll hit us. Don’t nod off.”

“I won’t,” Daniel promised.

Across the dirt, two of the slavers stood up. Alexa sighed. “Company.”

Daniel rose as the two huge females came over, hand resting on his gun.

Inside the tent, silence except for the flap opening further to clear a line of fire.

Alexa leaned against a large rock, and thumbed toward the now empty seats. “If you like.”

One of the women, hair in black braids that coiled around her thick neck, did sit down. The other brunette, hair cut to her ears, stayed standing, watching Daniel.

Daniel raked the Powder Protector, as they were now called because of their heavy makeup and male roles, and wasn’t impressed.

“My thanks,” the slave master offered.

Alexa motioned toward the pot. “Coffee’s not bad.”

“No,” the braided slaver responded. “I’d like to talk about a trade, if you’ve a mind to hear it.”

“My men are not for sale or rent,” Alexa laid down the law firmly. “They are not slaves.”

Braids sighed resignedly. “I assumed as much by their eager obedience. May I offer you anything at all to change your mind?”

Alexa studied the two women. “You have nothing I need.”

“You need ammunition, I bet,” short hair grunted.

“That, I could trade some things for, but not them,” Alexa answered sternly.

Braids final showed a true emotion as wistfulness flooded her voice. “What if it wasn’t a trade, just a night between a man and a woman?”

Alexa raised a brow. “Why?”

The slaver flushed. “Fresh meat.”

Alexa rolled her eyes. “That would be up to them, ladies, not me.” She stood up. “Excuse me.”

Alexa ducked into the tent and Daniel went to stand in front of the flap.

The slavers shared angry glances and returned to their site.

Daniel didn’t let himself chuckle. None of Alexa’s men had any interest in the slave masters, except in freeing their stock.

Might be worth a quickie to do it, though, Daniel thought, grinning inwardly. It was one of those ‘I could do it, but I might get hurt’ moments most men had over a women who was the same size as he was. Daniel thought it might be fun, but he wouldn’t seriously consider it unless the slaves would honestly be freed and that wouldn’t happen. The law of the land allowed male slavery, encouraged it even, and there were few men who could fight those chains after destroying the world. Alexa and her loving ways were the best a man would get out here now.

As if to prove him wrong, the family next to them stirred.

“I want you!”

“Shh!”

“Roll over, baby. Let me hold you.”

A soft male giggle, “Get under the blanket or we’ll wake up the others.”

It was almost normal life continuing.

Daniel, who had forgotten about the small family, continued to search the corn and the people, comforted a bit. Not all men were slaves. Some had either found real homes or had already belonged to one. He and the other fighters with Alexa had done the same. She was their protector, their wife in ways and mother in others. It was odd, but it worked too well to argue with.

Alexa waited until Paul was almost asleep and then rolled over, taking her blanket along. She curled against him for a few minutes where a stifled scream echoed twice.

She then rolled over, wiping her mouth.

Behind her, Paul shuddered.

Beside her, Mark settled into sleep.

In front of the tent, tall corn waved mockingly at the single guard.

2

A slow, silent hand crept towards Daniel’s ankle in the darkness. Long, tattooed fingers reached out...

“Nice try,” Daniel quipped alertly.

It startled Mark into a laugh. “Damn it, man!”

Daniel chuckled. “Next time, maybe.” He slid inside the tent and took Mark’s warm place against Alexa’s hip with a groan of pleasure. Lying down was good, but the feel of her was better.

Alexa turned toward him in the dark, arms curling around his neck, and Daniel pulled her onto his chest, where she liked to sleep.

“Mmm…”

Daniel stiffened instantly and willed himself to go down. She sounded good, too.

His arms slid around her and he drifted off almost right away.

Secure in Daniel’s big arms, Alexa listened for a minute to make sure they were safe, then joined him.

Mark squatted near the fire that Daniel had nursed through the night, keeping it going. Alexa didn’t like it when they wasted the light or the warmth of their flames, but they didn’t quite have her gift of timing for adding the fuel. It appeared that Daniel had done a good job though, and Mark warmed his fingers over the glowing coals  and burnt stalks that remained.

Mark swept the tall fields around them, thinking that calling this mess a cornfield was like calling a scooter a motorcycle. The corn was twined in and around thick weeds and scraggily grass that was trying to choke the dirt into submission. In most places, it was succeeding.

Mark swept the other people. No one was up or about yet, other than the patrol that hadn’t been relieved. They stared at Mark angrily because he was well rested.

The convict yawned contentedly, and then began to make himself a cup of coffee. While the water heated, he went a few feet into the tangle of corn plants. As he finished relieving himself, a large rat scurried over his boot.

Mark shuddered. He loathed rats. It was something he always felt the need to kill.

Mark stomped, barely missing, and ran after it, crashing through rows before it vanished as if it had never been there.

Mark stopped as the sense of danger fell over him.

The corn was tall and taunting, blocking his view, and he sighed, opening his mouth to call out for a direction.

“Shh…”

The child stepped from the row next to him, giving Mark a fright that snatched part of his breath. It was one of the twins, not the corpse child, he was relieved to discover. “Where did you…”

He stopped as the child put a finger to her lips, following her line of sight. All he saw was corn, weeds, grass, and…

Mark stiffened, hand sliding toward his gun. In the corn to their left was the largest wolf he’d ever seen. It was brown and gray, with a head the size of two men, and Mark drew his gun.

Alexa sat up so fast she scared a yelp from both Daniel and Paul.

“Check on our guard.”

Jacob was the first one to come to alertness and he hurried from the tent when Alexa didn’t speak again. He noticed their empty fire, heating water, and followed Mark’s boots into the corn.

He found the missing man a minute later.

“What are you…”

“Sh…!”

Mark didn’t want to fight with a child at his side, but there was no time to get her out as the large wolf padded closer to where they were. Mark wasn’t sure if the big animal had noticed their presence or not. If so, it was coming to get a meal. If not, it was about to be surprised and defend itself. Either way, he wasn’t allowed to use his gun and he wouldn’t.